Number three in the lineup at the 16th virtual wine tasting was this stunning Spaniard. Dark purple and 75% opaque, it had a complex nose of cigar box, buttered popcorn, black pepper, roasted nuts, blackberry coulis, dill, vanilla and an earthiness. Juicy tannins hit right off the bat with blackberry, oak, vanilla, blueberry and Maduro. Great acidity made for a gorgeous mouthfeel and the wine showed a touch of earthy dust, which I look forward to in Riojas. This was one of the standouts since we started the Virtual Wine Tasting Company. I gave it 20 points and on a technical scale- 94 points. For $30, its worth stashing a few of this 5 star gem away and drink till 2030 with grilled meats. Salut….
Our second wine of the 16th virtual wine tasting gave me pause in deciding it’s drinking order. I originally wanted to showcase this icon as the finale of our session, but after careful consideration felt it was best to go before the younger, bolder wines- it was a good call.
Chateau Musar at pretty much any age will have an orange tinge, or bricking. It’s also usually about 50% opaque. This blend of Carignan, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon never looks brooding in the glass. I asked the group for their comments when we started smelling the wine. “Heaven” was the first I heard- very appropriate. We also noted strawberry, leather, black pepper (?), cured meat, garrigue, black cherry, funk, barnyard, new-purse leather, dirt, smoke and earth. These are awesome descriptors from the group, yet I still feel we have missed out on some more. The nose was amazing.
On the palate this beauty is deceiving- delicate, yet powerful. Flavors of cracked pepper, cherry, leather, spice, raspberry jelly and baked cherry compote. The smoothness of this wine is above reproach. The tannins so well integrated and the gobs of acidity so well disguised. I think the gaminess and dried prune notes were my highlight. I was so happy to have been able to present this tremendous wine to my friends, who for the most part loved it. I awarded a perfect 20 points on the tasting scale. Technically speaking, it gets 95 real points and at $75, five stars. I would imagine this one has a long tasting window but make sure you have a two-pronged wine opener, the corks gave issue to several bottles. Salut….
We kicked off the 16th virtual wine tasting with this Godello, a scarce varietal grown in northwest Spain. As per usual, we tasted it at room temperature first, followed by chilled. In the glass it is a pale gold with a nose of lanolin, yellow apple, citrus, pear, grapefruit and crystallized ginger. On the palate this version showed quince, yellow apple, honeysuckle and honey (albeit not sweet). The chilled version had a narrow, more focused nose of lemon/lime Sprite, ginger ale, green melon and was thought of as more floral than fruit based. The palate gave us lemon, lime, yellow apple, grated ginger with a touch of lanolin/wax and some honeysuckle. I preferred the chilled version with 16 points versus 13 for the room temp one. On a technical scale- 91 points for this $30 wine make it worthy of 5 stars. Drink till 2025 with seafood, roast Cornish hens or a cheese board. Salut….
This wine is a bright shade of purple and semi opaque. The nose offers up violets, Juniper bush and plum- very interesting mix. On the palate it has a really nice earthiness reminiscent of Rioja, with dust, bramble and black berries. Even the tannins are rustic. The mid palate turns a little more blue but the charm of the varietal sticks with the basics where I now get a hint of oak. The tannic structure is really nice and does well with the mild acidity. The finish is quite dry but the fruit hangs on for a while. It really is a yummy wine that will pair nicely with our shaved steak-stuffed yellow peppers with onion and Provolone. I don’t think I have had Tempranillo from Oregon before- it won’t be my last one. At 90 points this $17 wine gets 5 stars from me. Drink till 2025. Salut….
This Kiwi Sav Blanc is a really pretty shade of pale gold. The nose just blew me away. Passion fruit, peach, lime verbena and a hint of you know what. The palate is well formed with loads of flavor from those fruits minus the cat pee. I do also get gooseberries- that somewhat sweet-yet-sour at the same time fruit. Delicious. The acidity is en pointe, not cutting- it sharpens the flavors and lets them be the focus. The wine finishes with a decent length tail of citrus and pineapple that lasts a good long while. I picked this wine tonight as I am in an arm cast and it’s my son’s turn to cook. He is blackening some Sous Vide Chicken with Cajun spices which should work well with this 93 pointer. The pros went 94/95 on this $20 monster. I will be stocking up for sure, it will pair with pretty much any seafood, chicken dishes, salads and cheese boards. 5 stars, if only I could give 6. Stunner to drink till 2025. Salut….
At 12 years old this Pinot is still fresh looking in the glass, perhaps a touch of bricking. The nose worries me though, stewed plums are a dead giveaway for over the hill wines. I do get some orange peel and fig which is interesting. The palate shows a dried out and withered wine that is past its due date. There are some attractive qualities left but the astringency and overall mouthfeel overtake. What is left, fruit-wise, is strawberry and cherry juice. Decent acidic backbone and some grainy tannins are holding the structure up but the fruit has vanished, leaving no tertiary flavors behind. A shame really. I don’t believe I ever liked this wine very much, today’s bottle being my last. 86 points is a stretch, read my previous write-ups here. Salut….
I enjoy Pinotage quite a bit. It’s a grape that was created by cloning Pinot Noir and Cinsault. This one is semi opaque and a lovely shade of purple in the glass. The nose gives me chocolate, espresso bean and blackberry. On the palate it is very fruity with black currants, black cherry and dare I say- coffee. There is a richness to this wine that I am really enjoying, full bodied with rounded tannins and good acidity. The mid palate goes old school with some smoke, dust, jerky and brooding dark fruit. I am missing the acetone flavors I normally associate with this varietal, it’s kind of unique. The back end is dry, dusty and has nice tannins to finish. I like this wine and would pair it with almost any meat dish, perhaps even pasta. 89 points from me with a drink till 2025 window. At $21 it gets 3 stars. Salut….
Moxie and I arrived in Honolulu last Monday, our first stop being the local shop to stock up on ‘necessities’. When on vacation, without access to proper glasses and less than ideal conditions- it’s time to rest the keyboard and just enjoy wine for what it is. I bought bottles that I have tried before and enjoyed, something familiar and trustworthy. Since it is the tropics, I went with more whites than usual: Kung Fu Girl is a perennial fave, the recently tasted Oyster Bay was delicious and the red wine of the week was the ever-so-good Chateau Ste. Michelle Cab Sav. This wine is hands down one of the most reliable reds out there.
I sometimes lose touch with why we drink wine- for me it marks the beginning of the end of the day. A time to start cooking dinner, to relax and to savor the nectar as it pairs with food. Then there is the post-prandial drinking that carries us into the night. For Moxie and I, sitting on our balcony last night with a drink in hand was near bliss. I hope everyone that reads this takes the time to kick back and relax with their loved one and enjoy a drink or two. Aloha.
This classic from Chateauneuf Du Pape is a dark shade of purple and is 75% opaque. The nose is gorgeous- raspberries, rosewater, ripe cherry and some spice. On the palate the raspberry theme continues with oolong tea, violet and lithe tannins. It has minerality and some modicum of acidity to go along with the red fruit. On the mid palate it is very smooth and has concentrated flavors of raspberry along with some strawberry extract. Red licorice and lively tannins show up at the back end where the finish is long, full bodied and delicious. This is a very tasty wine that is not too bold, but caresses with nice rounded fruit, a decent dose of tannins that are very well integrated and some balancing acidity which gives it a wonderful mouthfeel. Delightful stuff, made even better that it was bet with my buddy over a football game- I won! 93 points from me, the pros went a point or two more. At $105, this is a treat blend of mainly Grenache with Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault adding to the mix. Drink this 4 star wine till 2030. Salut….
A lighter shade of yellow in the glass with pretty hefty legs belying the 14.2% alcohol. The nose has creamy citrus, like a mousse, plus a hint of butter and coconut. The palate is very rounded with lush flavors of nectarines, clementines, lemon zest and peach. It’s like a tropical fruit salad with buttery popcorn as a side. I taste layers with this wine, which shows some nice complexity. The acidity is relatively mild giving a full mouthfeel. The finish is mid length and adds some papaya to the mix. Delicious stuff, really. 92 points worth. Seriously, and at $21- it’s a steal. This one will be featured in another blog post early next year, and if I could give it 6 stars I would. Drink till 2025. I am pairing it with Shrimp Scampi and salad. Salut….
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